40 Days Teshuva (repentance) and Peanuts

Link to 2023 40 Days of Teshuva Prayer and Fasting 

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Replay Videos

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https://www.regent.edu/robertson-school-of-government/40-days/

You bet I did!  I did it! I find it hard to believe, 40 days of peanuts and wonderful nuggets to last a lifetime!  It was questionable at times, especially when the smell of food surrounded me, but the urgency of the delicate situation that surrounds our nation and the world nations always stood in front of me.  I chose to keep fighting for the unborn; the trafficked; the children in demonically oppressed education systems; my brothers and sisters in the Faith, all over the world, who are being oppressed and tortured for acknowledging and worshipping YHWH; the weak; the demoralized; the victims of an unjust department of justice; Israel's protection, etc.  Right-ruling is better than food and life. 

Let  me say this, however.  The book of Isaiah in the Bible makes it very clear what YHWH says concerning fasting. 

These are His words:

Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
And the LORD will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.

♡

Oh, may His justice reign down like a flood from heaven, and cleanse this earth in His Truth, His Glory, His magnificent presence as King of all kings and LORD of all lords.  Let the call of our hearts be:

Even so, Lord Jesus/Yeshua, come!!

Maranatha!

Genesis 22:14

¹⁴ Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

 Whether we sit down at a table, on a blanket or bench by the shoreline, on a giant rock overlooking the rocky Wyoming landscape, or on the floor of a tent in the wilderness – all of us at one time or the other have considered the blessings that we have been given or experienced.  I think sometimes we offer prayers of thanksgiving out of habit, such as at a meal.  Not that the thanksgiving is insincere, rather it could seem a bit rehearsed.  You've heard those prayers.  Perhaps you also pray in that manner.  But what if we stop and think about the provider.  I am pushing the 'thinker' beyond the providing parent or neighbor or friend or even you and me; let's scale the heights of provision all the way to the mountain of YHWH. 

You more than likely have heard or read about Abraham of the Bible who was tried by YHWH.  He told Abraham to take his son Isaac, his only son, the son he loved, to the land of Moriah to offer him on the altar as a burnt offering.  Can you imagine that moment? He had to have all kinds of images running through his mind.  This same YHWH had met with him prior to Isaac’s conception and revealed to Abraham that he was going to father a son at 100 years of age (let that sink in a few moments), and through him, Abraham would become a Father to many nations.  So Abraham tosses down his bow and walks away from YHWH, mumbling choice words under his breath, right?   On the contrary, Genesis 22:3 says Abraham rose early in the morning, split firewood, saddled his donkey, took a couple of young men and his son Isaac and headed to the place YHWH commanded him.  Hopefully you know the rest of the story.

So what does this have to do with thanksgiving?

Abraham had so much faith in YHWH that he absolutely knew there would be only one outcome in this situation; Abraham was going back down that mountain with his son and the unscortched firewood he had split just three days prior. And he did just that! YHWH took him to the outer limits of no turning back, and then intervened at the exact moment of unwavering faith.  

Is that not the most incredible act of trust?

Can you hear the songs of thanksgiving coming from a very old man and his young son?

I would like to think they danced.

And then YHWH did something else.  YHWH honored Abraham for his faith.

Genesis 22:18 tells us:

¹⁸ And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.”

Faith brought about obedience and obedience brought provision.

Some use YHWH as if our Qadosh One (Set-apart One) is a slot machine arm, raining pennies from heaven.  He has the authoritative power to do that if he so chose, but more than pennies, He desires our trust. These people fail to see that YHWH is to be revered.  The scripture uses the word "feared".

Malachi 3:16-18 reads:

¹⁶ Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.

¹⁷ “They will be my people,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. ¹⁸ Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

I would rather have my name written on His scroll of remembrance, than all of the gold and silver on this planet.

 Follow YHWH Yireh in obedience and see if He does not keep his covenant with you, and make specific provision for you.

 He is our Provider

♡

 YHWH Yireh

We do not deserve you, but somehow you love us so very much.

I cannot begin to imagine putting my life into the hands of another.

There is only One.

You are that

One

for me.

You are that

One

for all of us

if we will just

Believe.

Genesis 17:1

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life."

Ok, that is a "biggie". 

"a blameless life"

Do you know anyone (and I mean anyone) who lives a blameless life?

 I am not certain if I am more bumfuzzled about the charge to live a blameless life, or the fact that this dear soul was 99 when he received the charge by El Shaddai.

Most men at 99 might respond "El Shaddai, I am standing on the precipice of a great divide, a divide that separates life from death.  You are charging me NOW to be perfect?"

So Abram gets the charge.  Then a little later Abram would get the news that he was going to be a daddy--at 100 years of age.  And of course there is Sarah at a youthful 91.

Blameless?  

El Shaddai must have a strange sense of humor.

But nothing is impossible with the almighty God.  If He wants to get your attention at nine or ninety nine, He will do it. He can and will do it, no matter the circumstances.

  If any of Abram's tribe were looking for a sign or miracle from YHWH, like people do today, you can bet this scene would be a viral hit on social media.

BREAKING NEWS

This is a breaking news report from Beersheba! The local Beersheeba midwife has reported that a 91 year old woman has just given birth to a baby boy.  Her 100 year old husband was reported to say that both mom and son are doing well.  When asked what his next few days looked like, he fell on his face laughing and simply replied "prayer".

Seriously, if living a blameless life is impossible, YHWH would never have charged Abram with that task.  Abram was flesh as we are.  He lived in a tent city caravan  with a large group of family and extras.   That is living pretty close to chaos. YHWH's ways are indeed  not like ours.  And I am thankful for that.

No excuses, folks.  You cannot use age as an excuse to stop living a full, fruitful, blameless life. Every breath has YHWH's name written on it.  Through His beloved Son Yeshua, He created everything visible and invisible.  I guess living a blameless life, compared to that, is a 'piece of cake'.

 If YHWH has a plan with your name sealed to it, get ready.  

And laugh with joy!

(blamelessly, of course)!

Exodus 33:13

¹³ If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.”

Thoughts/Prayers

Show us Your ways, El Elyon

Your thoughts are not our thoughts,

Neither are Your ways, our ways.

You are a set-apart God

Qadosh (Holy)

You dwell in unapproachable light

How precious that we are known by You.

You call us by name.

Is there anything that You cannot do?

Idols cannot speak,

they are carried into the winds forever by Your breath.

But You, Oh Lord spoke everything into existense.

We will take refuge in You, and seek to do everything according to Your law.

You ask only that we do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with You.

Show us Your way, Oh Lord, 

and help us to walk in it.

Thank You, most high God.

Bless Your qadosh 

Name!

 Exodus 34:6-7

 The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out,

“Yahweh!  The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy!  I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

Thoughts/Prayer

Let the incense of a pure heart and clean hands rise up to You, oh YHWH.

Through You alone we have our breath, our lifeblood.

Rise up, praise!

Rise up from your deathbed, oh my Soul!

Rise up and give praise to the One who set in motion all things,

and will bring to an end all things that war against His Holy Name!

Pass before us, oh compassionate, gracious and patient God.  Pass before us so that we can fall under your shadow and live!

Sing to Him, dry bones!

Oh sing you vacant carcasses in the earth!

You are gracious in kindness and Truth, YHWH

offering forgiveness to the generations who return to You in repentance.

You hold back Your judgement on the nations who turn to You.

But Your righteous judgement will prevail against the nations of people who rebel against You.

Rise up from your sleep of despair, Oh soul, and praise the merciful One!

 Through You, YHWH,

everything has breath and has its being!

Praise YOU!!

Praise YHWH!